Lasen
smiling through it all
[SET]
name: Bulky Pivot
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: U-turn / Heat Wave
move 4: Defog
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Tornadus-T is an excellent pivot thanks to its amazing Speed tier and ability in Regenerator. It also serves as a Defogger than can beat one of the most common Stealth Rock setters in Tomohawk. Knock Off cripples the longevity of Pokemon running Heavy-Duty Boots or Leftovers, limiting the likes of Heatran, Equilibra, and Zeraora. U-turn allows Tornadus-T to switch out of unfavorable matchups, such as the myriad of Electric-types that it invites in, and gain momentum after threatening something with Hurricane. Heat Wave turns Tornadus-T into a Cawmodore check, KOing after surviving +6 Bullet Punch, while simultaneously providing utility against other Steel-types such as Melmetal.
Slowking and Stratagem appreciate Tornadus-T being a solid check to Rillaboom, with Slowking acting as a special sponge and source of Ice resistance, while Stratagem can answer Zapdos, one of Tornadus-T's worst matchups. Thanks to its great Speed, Tornadus-T forms really potent VoltTurn cores with Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Krilowatt, piling up damage from both pivot move types and allowing strong wallbreakers such as Pajantom and Kyurem to switch in. Tornadus-T's Heavy-Duty Boots is vital for its role as as pivot, so Scizor can absorb Knock Off while gaining more momentum with U-turn. Heatran can utilize Flame Body to punish Knock Off users and covers Tornadus-T's Ice weakness, while Tornadus-T is a good answer to Ground-type moves thrown Heatran's way. Zeraora is a situational switch-in to Electric-type attacks that appreciates Tornadus-T removing Grass-types for it.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Hurricane
move 3: Focus Blast / Heat Wave
move 4: Knock Off / Heat Wave / Taunt
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Regenerator
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Nasty Plot turns Tornadus-T into a fast and fearsome wallbreaker, outspeeding key threats in the metagame such as Kerfluffle and Kyurem while simultaneously turning into a threat towards Equilibra, Astrolotl, and Clefable. Focus Blast hits the Steel-types that resist Hurricane, such as Equilibra and Heatran. Knock Off is a good way to make walls such as Blissey and Slowking easier to deal with in the long run. Heat Wave can be used to hit Ferrothorn and Corviknight for more damage and is less prone to missing than Focus Blast, and it's also a good way to deal with Cawmodore because Tornadus-T outspeeds it, lives its boosted Bullet Punch, and KOes it. Taunt stops various walls from recovering and provides utility by stopping other status moves that might hinder its teammates.
Tornadus-T fits best in bulky offense or balance builds, having enough bulk to support itself while it sets up and softening up walls for its team. It pairs up nicely with strong physical wallbreakers such as Swords Dance Garchomp, with Tornadus-T dealing with Hawlucha and Clefable while Garchomp solidly answers the Electric-types that threaten Tornadus-T such as Zapdos and Zeraora, which might try to pivot on it. Further item displacement teammates like Clefable and Colossoil help Tornadus-T focus on breaking walls with Nasty Plot. Stealth Rock from Heatran or Tyranitar chips foes, and both users can answer the Ice-type attacks thrown Tornadus-T's way. Syclant also pairs nicely, pivoting into Tornadus-T with its strong U-turn and helping overwhelm their common checks in various Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
In weather teams, Weather Ball can occupy Tornadus-T's fourth moveslot and give it another coverage type, such as Water in rain, so it doesn't have to rely on Focus Blast's 70% accuracy to pick off targets that resist Hurricane. Heatran and Equilibra are prime targets for Weather Ball under rain, while Zapdos is OHKOed under sand after a boost. Substitute can be run in the same moveslot so that Tornadus-T can set up in front of weaker walls such as Toxapex and dodge status, but without investment in bulk, it's rather easy to break and makes Tornadus-T rely even more on its teammates to weaken its checks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Zapdos, Krilowatt, and Zeraora all have the firepower to threaten Tornadus-T with their strong STAB moves and can switch in safely. In the case of Zapdos, it can even recover off the damage with Roost and punish contact with Static. None of them appreciate Knock Off, though.
**Knock Off**: Clefable and Rillaboom both can use Knock Off to remove Heavy-Duty Boots and make Tornadus-T susceptible to Stealth Rock, thus severely lowering its longevity and ability to pivot safely.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Weavile and Dragapult can both outspeed and pick off Tornadus-T with their strong STAB attacks. Syclant Speed ties with Tornadus-T but can use Ice Shard to revenge kill it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lasen, 273339]]
- Quality checked by: [[snake_rattler, 227784], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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